Addressing-machine.



'J. S. DUNCAN.

ADDRESSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28, 1913. 1,102,396, Patented July 7, 1914 4 SHEETSSHEET 1.

J. S. DUNCAN.

ADDRESSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.28, 191s.

Pateuted July '7, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. S. DUNCAN.

ADDRESSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28, 1913.

Patented July 7, 1914.

4 SHEE,TSSHEET 2;.

J. S. DUNCAN.

ADDRESSING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED APR. 28, 1913.

4 SHEET$SHEET 4 Patented July 7, 1914.

SN wm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH S. DUNCAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .ASSIGNOR 'IO ADDRESSOGRAPI-I COMPANY,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ADDRESSING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July '7, 1914.

Application filed April 28, 1913. Serial No. 763,975.

'of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Addressing-Mm chines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates in general to printing machines and has more particular ref erence to machines for printing addresses or other subject matter on envelops and the like.

One of the primary objects of the invention is the provision of a machine of this general character in which the platen pressure during the printing operation will be uniform throughout the operation of the platen so that uniformly clear and distinct impressions will be produced from the printing devices. 3

Another object is to provide improved platen operating mechanism and novel means for adjusting the platen and regulating the platen pressure.

A further object is to provide means whereby the platen may be thrown out of operative relation when desired without stopping the machine.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art as the invention is nection with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a printing machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view certain parts being shown in section, the platen being shown in the position that it assumes at the beginning of its printing stroke. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the position of the platen at the end of its printing stroke. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the machine, taken substantially on the line 44 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional viewtaken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the platen carrying frame with the platen mounted therein. Fig.' 7 is an end elevation looking at the rear of the machine. Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along the shaft on which the platen arm is mounted. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the mounting of the cam follower at the lower end of the platen arm. I

On the drawings reference character 11 designates the pedestal upon which the head 12 carrying the operating mechanism of the machine is rotatably orfiXedly mounted.

The frame of the machine, designated generally by reference character 13, is shaped to provide a work table 14 at its forward end and is provided at its rear end with a magazine 15 of well-known or preferred construction, adapted to contain a stack of printing devices from which the impressions are taken. The printing devices are carried from the magazine 15 to printing position on the bed 16 by a chain carrier 17 trained around sprocket wheels 18 and 19 respectively, the carrier being intermittently actuated by any suitable mechanism. After an impresison has been taken from the devices in a manner to be later described they are delivered into a tray 21 in which they may be stored for future use and from which they may be introduced into the magazine 15 when required.

The mechanism th s far described is wellk nown both as to co struction and operat1on.

A shaft 22 is mounted in suitable bearings 23 and 24 formed in the main frame of the machine. said shaft being provided at its ends with eccentric portions 25 and 26 respectively, upon which the platen arm 27 ispivotally mounted at 28 and 29. It will be apparent from Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive of the drawings that the platen arm extends forwardly over the bed 16 of the machine and is formed at its extremity to provide a platen head 31. A' presse r member 32, consisting in the present instance of a plate or bar is suspended from said platen head by a bolt or pin 33, threaded into said plate or otherwise rigidly connected thereto, an

expansion spring 3-1 being disposed between the upper face of the platen head and a knob 35 formed on the upper end of the rod 33 to normally hold the presser member against the lower ends of the adjusting screws 36. One of these screws is situated 'at each corner of the platen head and the position of the presser member may be adjusted by means of these screws, suitable lock nuts 37 being employed to lock the adjusting screws in adjustedmosition. The rear edge of the presser member is inclined upwardly as indicated at 38 in Fig. 5 to permit the platen to be elevated at the rear end of its stroke, as will be later more fully explained.

The platen arm is oscillated about the shaft 22 to raise and lower the platen head by mechanism which will now'be described. It will be observed from Figs. 2 and 3 that the platen arm is extended for some dis-' tance beneath the bearing shaft22 and the lower end of the arm is equipped with a cam follower or roller 39. Upon a pin or shaft 41 beneath the bed 16 is pivotally mounted an operating member 42- which is extended rearwardly and provided with a cam track 43 adapted to engage the roller 39 and oscillate the platen arm about the shaft 22 when the operating member 42 is oscillated about its point of suspension 41. An arm 44 attached to the operating member 42 may be equipped with a foot pedal or may be connected with automatically operated mechanism as preferred by means of which the arm and member'are oscillated. Normally the parts assumethe position shown in Fig. 1 with the operating arm 44 in a substantially vertical position and the platen arm'in elevated position. 'The roller 39 is then disposed in the upper end of the cam track 48. When the operating arm 44 is swung to the right, viewing Fig. 1, the cam track 43 causes the roller 39 to move toward the right to thereby lower the platen head into the position shown in Fig. 2. Themovement of the arm 44 from the osition shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2 completes the movement of the platen head and further movement of the arm from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3 has no further eifect upon the platen arm since the lower portion of the cam track is concentric with the point of suspension 41 of the operating member 42.

As previously indicated, the printing devices are fed consecutively from the magazineat therear of the machine to printing position. on the bed 16 and beneath an inkin ribbon 45 carried upon ribbon spools 46 and 47 suitably mounted at each side-of the bed 16 and adapted to be wound'and reversed by any well-known or preferred mechanism. The laten which exerts .a pressure upon the envelbp or other matter to be printed, which matter is fed into printing position above the ribbon 45, is, in the present instance, rotatably mounted in a laten frame, desig nated generally by re erence character 48 (Fig. 6). The rear end of this frame is pivotally connected at 49 with an arm 49 of a bell crank lever mounted to oscillate on a bearing shaft 50 carried by the platen arm. The front end of the frame is provided at each side thereof with overhanging lips 51 ada ted to slidingly engage the upper face 65 of t e presser member 32 and guide the for- Ward end of the platen frame during its reciprocatory movements. A contraction spring 52, secured at its lower end to the platen frame and at its upper end to a pin 58 projecting from the side of the platen arm, is adapted to yieldingly sustain the platen frame. At the bottom of the frame beneath the lips 51 is mounted a transversely extending shaft 54 upon which is rotatably mounted a cylindrical platen 55 of hard rubber or other suitable material. A second shaft 56 is mounted in the frame above the shaft 54 and parallel therewith and upon this shaft is mounted a plurality of anti friction rollers 57 58 and 59 which are adapted to bear against the lower face of the presser member. Similar anti-friction rollers 61 and 62 are mounted on the shaft 54 at each end of the platen in position to engage with the rollers 59 and 58 respectively. It will be apparent from the. foregoing that the rollers 58 and 62 and also the rollers 59 and 61 provide anti-friction bearings for the platen 55 which transmit pressure from the presser member 32 to the platen without interfering with the rotation of the platen.

The arm 49 is swung back and forth about the shaft 50 to reciprocate the platen frame and the platen carried thereby by mechanism which will now be described. To the extremity of the other arm 63 of the bell crank lever carried by the shaft 50 I have pivotally connected at 64 a link 65 which in turn is connected at its lower end by a in G6 with an arm 67 loosely mounted on tie shaft 22. An operating device 68 also loosely mounted on the shaft 22 adjacent to the link 67 is equipped with lateral projections (39 and 71 adapted to engage the arm 67 as the device is oscillated upon the shaft 22. For the purpose of oscillating the device 68 I have connected to the lower end thereof by means of a pin 72 a link 73 which is pivotally connected at 74 at its other end to the operating member 42.

When the operating member has been swung from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2 projection 69 on the member 68 will be brought into engagement with the arm 67. Continued movement of the operating member from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3 will swing the arm 67 upwardly, thereby operating the bell crank lever 63, 49 tomove the platen frame from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3. As the platen moves rearwardly along the lower face of the presser member an impression is produced on the envelo or other matter beneath the platen throng the ribbon from the printing device disposed on the bed 16. When the platen has completed its printing stroke the rollers 57, 58. and 59 travel up the inclined rear edge of the presser member under the on a rearward extension of the platen arm at 7 6, the upper end of said arm being connected by a link 77 to the pin 66 connecting the arm 67 and the link 65. A contraction spring 78 secured at 79 to the platen arm and at 81 to the arm 75 tends to hold the parts in the position shown in Fig. 3 at the completion of the platen stroke, thereby preventing return movement of the platen across the presser member until the platen head has been elevated. Upon return movement of the'operating member 42 from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 1 the projection 71 of the member 68 is brought into engagement with the upper edge of the arm 67 to depress its outer end, thereby moving the platen frame forwardly relatively to the platen head. As soon as the pin 66 reaches a point beneath the upper end of the arm 75, this arm and the parts connected therewith are quickly moved by the spring 78 to-the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Since the operating member 42 will travel some distance on its return stroke before the projection 71 will be engaged with the arm 67 it will be obvious that the platen head will be raised by the cam 43 before the return movement of the platen is initiatedi For the purpose of limiting the movement of the arm 67 a pair of pins 83 and 85 are fixed to the platen arm in the path of the arm 67.

In order that the platen head may not be lowered too quickly or lowered a greater distance than desired I have mounted upon one side of the head in suitable lugs 86 and 87 an abutment in the form of a rod 88 carrying at its lower end a suitable head 89, preferablyswiveled thereon. An expansion spring 91 interposed between the lug 87 and a pin 92 projecting through the rod normally depresses the abutment, suitable lock nuts 93 being threaded upon the upper end of the rod to limit its downward movement. Upon depression of the platen arm the head 89 of the yielding abutment is brought into engagement with the main frame of the machine before the platen reaches printing position so that the completion of the downward movement of the platen takes place against the force of the-spring 91. The

platen arm and the operating mechanism are, therefore, placed under tension before the platen completes its downward movement and the liability of bringing the platen into engagement with the matter to be printed by a sharp impact which would cause too heavy an impression, if not a blur, is thereby eliminated. The spring 91 is preferably adjusted. under sufiicient tension to hold the platen arm 27 in fixed position relatively to the bed during the operation of the platen so that the platen is held by the presser member 32 in predetermined relation with the lines of type upon the printing plate whereby the platen roller presses equally upon each type independently of the number of type forming the line of which it is a member.

The shaft 22, as has been previously stated,is provided at its ends with eccentric portions 25 and 26 upon which the platen arm is pivotally mounted. It will be obvious that if the shaft 22 is oscillated in its bearings the eccentric portions 25 and 26 will be raised or lowered, thereby raising or lowering the point of suspension of the platen arm to vary the platen pressure. For the purpose of adjusting the shaft 22 to vary the platen pressure and also to hold the shaft in adjusted position I have mounted upon the extremity of the eccentric portion 25 a downwardly projecting arm 94 provided at its lower end with a threaded socket pivoted at 95 and adapted to receive the end of an adjusting rod 96. The extremity of this rod projects through a downwardly extending bracket 97 and is equipped with an operating handle or wheel 98. A collar 99 is secured to the rod 96 on the opposite side 'of the bracket 97 from the wheel 98 to prevent longitudinal movement of the rod. By

turning the wheel 98 the shaft 22 may be adjusted to raise or' lower the eccentric portions, thereby raising or lowering the platen arm to vary the laten pressure. For the purpose of steadying the shaft 22 the frame 13 is provided with an extension 101 forming a bearing for an enlarged portion 102 (Fig. 8) of the eccentric portion 25, said enlarged portion being concentric with the large portion of the shaft mounted in the bearings 23 and 24. It will be understood, therefore, that the platen pressure may be adjusted to a fine degree of nicety by simply turning the operating wheel 98.

During the operation of the machine it may sometimes be desirable to skip and not print from one or more of the printing devices as they are passed through the ma chine and, for the purpose of throwing out the platen so that it will not be lowered to printing position when desired I have pro vided a suitable throw-out mechanism which will now be described. Referring more particularly to Fig. 9, it will be observed that the cam follower or roller 39 is mounted on an eccentric portion 103 of a short shaft 104 carried by the lower end of the platen arm 27. A pin 105 (Fig. 7) projects laterally from the shaft 104 and a contraction spring 106 attached at one end to said pin and at its other end to the platen arm 27 normally retains the pin 105 against an abutment 107 so that the cam follower is positioned substantially as shown in Fig. 9. The eccentricity of the portion 103 of the shaft is substantially equal to the curvature of the cam 43 so that if the shaft 104 be rotated in its bearings simultaneously with the actuation of the cam 43 the curvature of the cam will be compensated for by the movement of the shaft and the downward movement of the platen arm will be materially decreased. llith this end in view the shaft 104 is also provided with a second pin 108 which extends downwardly. A rod 109 slidingly mounted in the frame of the machine is normally held in the retracted position shown in Fig. 7 by an expansion spring 111. An operating lever 112 pivoted on a stud 113 is positioned so that its free end can be moved outwardly by the knee of the operator to thereby project the inner end of the rod 109 into the path of movement of the pin 108, as shown in Fig. .9. As the lower end of the platen arm is swung rearwardly by the cam 43 the shaft 104: is rotated against the force of the spring'lOG by engagement of the pin 108 with the end of the rod 109, the eccentricity of the shaft 10-1 thereby moving the follower 39 to compensate for the curvature of the cam and prevent theplaten head from being lowered into printing position. It will be obvious, therefore, that I have pro- "ided a platen throw-out mechanism, by means of which the stroke of the platen arm may be shortened so that the platen will not be brought into printing position, and that this result may be readily accomplished whenever desired by the simple manipulation of the lever which is automatically restored to normal position after each actuation.

.It is believed that my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing without further description and, while I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious that various changes in the mechanical details shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the material advantages thereof.

' What I claim is:

1. In an addressing machine, the combination of a rotatable platen, a presser member disposed above said platen, rollersmounted on the platen shaft, rollers mounted above said platen shaft between said platen rollers and said presser member, and means for moving said platen across the presser memher to effect a printing operation, said presser memberhaving its rear edge inclined upwardly to permit elevation of the platen from its printing plane at the end of its printing stroke.

2. In an addressing machine, the combination of a rotatable platen bearing rollers mounted coaxially with said platen, a presser member having its rear edge inclined upwardly, means for intermittently raising and lowering said presser member and platen, bearing r lers inte osed between said presser member and the rst mentioned bearing rollers, means for normally urging said platen toward the presser member, and means for moving said platen transversely of the presser member to effect an impression.

3. In an addressing machine, the combination of a platen head, a presser member carried thereby, a rotatable platen disposed beneath said presser member, anti-friction rollers positioned between the platen and the presser member, means for raising and lowering the platen head, mechanism for moving the platen rearwardly across the presser member to effect a printing operation, and means for elevating said platen at the rear end of its printing stroke and before the platen head is elevated.

4.. In an addressing machine, the combination of a platen head, means for raising and lowering said head, a presser member carried b said head and having an upwardly inclined rear edge, a frame mounted to reciprocate transversely of said presser member, a platen rotatably mounted in said frame and adapted to engage the lower face of said presser member, means for moving said frame transversely of the presser member, and means for normally urging said frame upwardly to hold said rollers against said presser member.

5. In an addressing machine, the combination of a platen head, a presser member adjustably mounted thereon, a frame movable transversely of said presser member, a platen rotatably mounted in said frame, anti-friction rollers interposed between said platen and said presser member, means for raising and lowering said platen head, means for moving said frame and the platen carried thereby across said presser member, and means for elevating the platen at the end of its printing stroke relatively to the presser member.

6. In an addressing machine, the combination of a platen head, a presser member carried thereby, means for adjusting said presser member on the head, a 'pivotally mounted frame provided with over-hanging lips adapted to engage said presser member at the ends thereof, a platen rotatably mounted in said frame beneath the presser member, anti-friction rollers mounted in said frame between the platen and the presser member, mechanism for moving said frame and the platen carried thereby transversely of the presser member, and a spring adapted to raise said platen from its printing plane at the end of its printing stroke.

7. In an addressing machine, the combi- 13. In an addressing machine,

nation of a presser member, a rotatable platen disposed beneath said presser member-,anti-friction rollers mounted above said platen and between the platen and the presscr member, mechanism for moving the platen rearwardly across the presser member to effect a printing operation, and means for elevating said platen at the rear end of its printing stroke.

8. In an addressing machine, the combination of a movable platen arm, a device adapted to positively move said platen arm in opposlte directions upon movement of said device in opposite directions, a platen carried by the said arm and reciprocable" relatively thereto, and connections between said device and said platen for moving said platen relatively to the, arm after a predetermined movement of said device in'each direction has taken place.

9.- In an addressing machine, the combination of a pivotally mounted platen arm, means carried thereby inposition to engage the main frame of the machine and place the platen armunder a yielding tension as the platen arm is moved into 0 erative position, a rotatable platen mova le relatively to said arm, means for raising and lowering said arm, and means for reciprocating said platen relatively to said arm.

10. In an addressing machine, the combi- I nation of a main frame, a bearing shaft having eccentric portions mounted therein, a platen arm pivoted on said bearing shaft, a roller carried by said arm beneath said shaft, a movable cam adapted to engage said roller to actuate said arm, a rotatable platen carried by said arm, mechanism for imparting reciprocatory movement to said platen relatively to said platen arm during movement of said cam, and means for adjusting the position of said shaft to vary the stroke of said arm.

11. In an addressing machine, the combination of a frame, a bearing. shaft having eccentric portions mounted therein, a platen arm pivoted on said shaft, a platen carried thereby, a cam mounted to oscillate beneath said shaft, a roller carried by the lower end of said arm in a position to be engaged by said cam, means for operating said cam to oscillate said platen arm on said bearing shaft, means for adjusting said shaft to regulate the normal movement of the platen arm, meansfor varying the position of said roller on the arm to decrease the stroke of said arm, and means for reciprocating said platen relatively to said arm.

12. In an addressing machine, the combination of a platen head, a platen mounted to move back and forth across said head, means for moving said platen, and means for holding said platen against movement at each end of its stroke.

I the combination of a pivotally mounted platen arm,

'a platen head carried thereby, a rotatable platen mounted to move backand forth across said head, means for moving said platen, and means for yieldingly holding said platen against movement at each end of its stroke.-

14.- In an addressing machine, the combination of a platen head, a presser member mounted thereon, a rotatable platen, means for reciprocating said platen back and forth across said presser member, and a spring adapted to yieldingly retain said platen against movement at each end of its stroke.

15. In an addressingmachine, the combination of a platen arm, a reciprocatory platen carried thereby, means for raising and lowering said arm, and means for moving said platen in one direction relatively to the arm when said arm is in lowered position and for moving said platen in the-opposite direction when the arm is in elevated position.

16. In an addressing machine, the combination of a shaft, a platen arm pivotally mounted thereon, an oscillatory device adapted to operate said platen arm upon oscillation thereof, a platen carried by said arm and movable relatively thereto, and connections between said oscillatory device and said platen for moving said platen relativcly to the arm after a predetermined movement of said oscillatory device in each direction has taken place.

17. In an addressing machine, the combination of a platen head, a platen mounted to reciprocate relatively thereto, an oscillatory operating device, meanswhereby said platen head is actuated upon oscillation of said device, and means, including a lost motion connection, whereby said platen is reciprocated upon oscillation of saiddevice.

18. In an addressing machine, the combination of a platen head, a presser member carried thereby, a rotatable platen adapted to be moved back and forth across said .presser member, means for raising and lowering said platen head, an oscillatory operating device, means, including a lost motion connection, for operating said platen from said oscillatory device, and a spring arranged to hold said platen against movement at each end of its stroke.

19. In an addressing machine, the combination of a platen arm, a platen head mounted thereon, a platen movable transversely of said head, an oscillatory operating device, means, including a cam, for actuating said platen head upon movement of said oscillatory device, a lost motion connection between the platen and said device whereby the platen is reciprocated upon predetermined movement of said device in each direction, and means, including a spring and a link connected with the platen operating connections, for retaining said platen against movement at each end of its stroke.

20. In an addressing machine, the combination of a main frame, a shaft mounted therein, a platen arm pivoted on said shaft, a roller eccentrically mounted on the lower end of said arm, an oscillatory device, a cam carried thereby to engage said roller whereby said platen arm is swung about said shaft, and means whereby the position of said roller may be adjusted during the movement of the platen arm to prevent a complete stroke of the platen arm upon actuation of said cam.

21. In an addressing machine, the 'combination of a pivotally mounted platen arm, a roller eccentrically mounted on the lower end thereof, a movable cam adapted to engage said roller and operate said platen arm, means for yieldingly retaining said roller in a predetermined position on said arm, and mechanism for varyingthe position of said roller todecrease the extent of movement of said arm upon actuation of said cam.

22. In an addressing machine, the combination of a pivotally mounted platen arm, a shaft carried by the lower end thereof and having an eccentric portion, roller mounted on said shaft, a cam adapted to engage said roller to operate said platen arm, means, including a pin projecting from said shaft and a spring connected thereto, for

normally retaining said shaft in predetermined position, a second pin projecting from said shaft, and a stop adapted to be positioned in the path of movement of said second pin, whereby said shaftiis rotated to vary the position of said roller.

23. In an addressing mlchine, the combination of a printing bed a platen head, a platen carried thereby and movable relatively thereto, means for raising and 1owering said platen head, and. yielding means adapted to resist the movement of said platen toward printing position, said yielding means being adapted to maintain said platen at a predetermined distance from said bed throughout the operation of said platen whereby to insure a uniform printing pressure by said platen.

24:- In an addressing machine, the combination of amovable platen arm, a roller eccentrically mounted thereon, a movable cam adapted to engage said roller and operate said platen arm, means for yieldingly retainingsaid roller in a predetermined position on said arm, and mechanism for varying the position of said roller to vary the extent of movement of said arm upon actuation of said cam.

25. In an addressing machine, the combination of a rotatable platen, a presser member disposed above said platen, rollers mounted on the platen shaft, anti-friction means mounted above the platen and in position to cooperate with said presser member and said platen rollers, means for moving said platen across the presser member to effect a printing operation, and means for elevating said platen relatively to the presser member at the end of its printing stroke.

26. In an addressing machine, the combination of a platen arm, means carried by said arm in position to engage with the main frame of the machine for placing the platen arm under a yielding tension as said arm moves toward printing position, a movable platen carried by said arm means for moving the platen relatively to the arm after said arm has been placed under tension, and mechanism for raising and lowering the arm.

JOSEPH S. DUNCAN.

Witnesses:

J. G. CARPENTER, FRANKLIN M. WARDEN. 

